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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25526803">You're so golden</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistyegg/pseuds/mistyegg'>mistyegg</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Era, Drabble, F/M, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Love Confessions, when they see the ocean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:49:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>596</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25526803</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistyegg/pseuds/mistyegg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The first thing he thinks when he sees it is how lucky he is to have lived this long.</p>
<p>The second thing he thinks is that she’s definitely the most beautiful creature he’s ever seen.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mikasa Ackerman/Armin Arlert</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You're so golden</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>for serena</p>
<p>title from golden by harry styles</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He hears the sounds of crashing waves before they finish trudging their horses through the burning sand, straining his ears to hear more and missing the way Connie nearly falls off his horse trying to speed up to find the source. He flinches when there’s a tug on his jacket and turns to Mikasa, who has a scrunched nose. “What is it?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Do you smell… salt?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>He sniffs and realises that yes, he does, something stronger than he’s ever smelt before and like being struck by lightning, he realises where they are. He knows his voice is airy and light when he whispers it and skillfully rears his horse around the small cliffside blocking their view, Eren, Levi and Hanji already at the top.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes go wide and his mouth definitely drops open, because it’s better than anything he dreamed of; it doesn’t compare to what he read in the banned books the three of them balked at as children. They’re all in a rush to hurry down to get a closer look, Hanji yelling something about needing to get samples and Sasha loudly salivating over all the ocean creatures Armin had told her about in his stories. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s stumbling out of his boots, wincing at the feeling of the burning sand on his bare feet, but ignoring it as he stumbles into the water; he sighs as the burning sensation subsides and wiggles his fingers just under the surface of the waves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Armin!”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>He turns and watches as Mikasa struggles to get her wet boots off, completely mystified by how the water laps around her, nearly slipping on the wet sand and stumbling. She looks up with wide eyes and the brightest smile he’s ever seen her muster, and the water he had cradled in his hands slips out, because-</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mikasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>She looks from the horizon to focus on him, still with that gleeful look on her face, and he swallows thickly, “Mikasa… I love you.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>She falters. “Armin?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You… You’re beautiful, Mikasa,” He murmurs, struggling to step forward when the current works against him but desperately wanting to get closer. He could almost picture a golden halo and a set of pure white wings delicately fluttering behind her, and how could he have been so blind from the six years of knowing her? “I think I’ve always loved you, Mikasa, but I only just realised. I… you’re amazing, Mika, you’re so powerful and so… you’re so…”</span>
  <span></span><br/>

  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Mikasa drops her boots into the shallow water and meets him halfway, standing over him with wet cheeks that he nearly mistakes for sea water, before realising she’s crying. He blinks and realises his burning eyes are doing the same.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was so scared for you that day,” She whispers, clarifying only with a soft hand tracing the invisible marks on his cheeks. “I realised then that all of this… it’s not worth it if you’re not here, Armin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their first kiss makes them stumble, adjusting noses and laughing as their teeth mesh horribly. Their second kiss has Armin attempting to reach up on the tips of his toes to reach her better, melting in the wet sand and causing them to stumble in the waves with roaring laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t let go of her the entire day of exploring the beachfront, pointing out colourful seashells to each other and kicking at the seaweed hesitantly. He says anything he can to hear her bubbling laugh and witness her wide smile just to witness how beautiful she really is, so he can’t forget it before it’s too late.</span>
</p>
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